Bladder stones - Treatment

Treating bladder stones

It may be possible to flush small bladder stones out of your bladder by drinking lots of water (try around 1.2 litres or 6-8 glasses a day).

However, as most people with bladder stones have problems completely emptying urine from their bladder, it is unlikely that the stones will pass out using this method.

Types of surgery

The main types of surgery used to treat bladder stones include:

a transurethal cysolitholapaxy - the most common procedure used to treat adults with bladder stones

a percutaneous suprapubic cystolitholapaxy - mainly used to treat children to avoid damaging their urethra but sometimes used for adults with very large bladder stones

an open cystotomy - often used in men where the prostate has grown so large that it obstructs other procedures, or if the stone is very large

These are explained in more detail below.

Transurethral cystolitholapaxy

During the procedure the surgeon will insert a small, rigid tube that contains a camera at the end (a cystoscope) into your urethra and up into your bladder.

The camera is then used to locate any stones. A 'crushing' device can be used, or lasers or ultrasound waves transmitted from the cystoscope to break up the stones into smaller fragments, which can be washed out of your bladder with fluids.

A transurethral cystolitholapaxy is carried out under regional or general anaesthetic, so you should not feel any pain.

During the cystolitholapaxy procedure, there is a risk that you will develop an infection, so you may be given antibiotics as a precaution. There is also a small risk of injury to the bladder.

Percutaneous suprapubic cystolitholapaxy

During the procedure the surgeon makes a small incision in the skin, in the lower abdomen. A further incision is made in the bladder and the stones are removed.

Neurogenic bladder

If you have a neurogenic bladder (inability to control the bladder due to nerve damage) and you develop bladder stones it is often a sign that you need to change the way in which you are draining your bladder.

You may need further training in fitting your catheter or you may need to change the type of catheter you are using and use medication to help control the bladder.